Kashmiriyat Revisited!

Book Review: Fiction/Nativity Regained by Ashok Kaul, Palm Leaf Publications/2011, 356 pp; Rs295 (Paperback)

Autumns, normally leaves dual effects on mind. This season in Kashmir once used to be time of rejoice, that continuity broken in 1990, with the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits and subsequently the syncretism from valley. Never to forget, that was the culmination of incessant political follies directed towards the Kashmir which tolled the loss of very tolerant living native philosophy of Kashmiriyat from the region where once Lal Did and Nurrudin Rishi were reflexive of all humane convictions in collective lives. This work of fiction by Ashok Kaul, a genuine native of Kashmir narrates the lives of Kashmiris through the social angle that was mostly amiss in most of recent works written on similar themes. Woven through the authentic socio-cultural details, this book leads the debate on the retrieval of nativity, whose signs are already countering the adamant and irrelevant political gospels. At no point, assertion of Kashmiriyat, what this book generates as an enlighted crux will be going against the political accords happened since 1947, the only justifiable message is, how to retrieve the normalcy in Kashmir?

Beyond the repetitive theoretic exercises, every character of this novel speaks the language from ground. Consciously, it’s not a biographical sketch of author who resembles immensely with the central character, Bola. Like him, he was part of a broader India, started converging with the outside world, first as a student and later as an academic sociologist at another place of syncretism, Benaras. So, even before the houses of Kaul’s were forcibly locked and their dear Muslim brothers felt their world half lost under the dark canopy of long fetched conspiracies of rogue elements, Bola was a non resident of Bandipur but he was certainly not among the exiled/Sharnarthis till the outbreak of forced exodus in 1990, which in psyche had turned him too, to be like others fellow Pandits after that!

For a while, may be the sympathetic of surrealism will feel the void, but only unknowingly till they will start walking with the grim realities of this shadowy heaven. Introspection on the essence of Kashmiriyat is too deep here; it fleetingly went as early as to the time of Rajtarangani, Akbar’s colonisation of Kashmir but focus is unanimously to draw the points, how the harmony in collective lives was the essence of Kashmiriyat and how it started losing those specialties of universalism with the partition in 1947. Post partition, Kashmir was one among the many troubled royalties but not most shaky in any terms, few would have thought about the evolvement of this paradise as India’s weakness and centrepoint of notorious cold war politics!

Consolidation of a nation like India had to happen through the diverse maneuverings on endless impediments; then inclusion of independent royalties in India were the most crucial among many sighted challenges. Sardar Patel, as straight forward man had succeeded tirelessly in making India with an impressive geographical size, he made the idea of sovereignty completely a prerogative of this newly born nation. But alas, this man was neither a sage nor an immortal being; so he passed away when the complete inclusion of Kashmir was still in ideation state. That shrewd political executioner passed away, rest the lead on Kashmir was transferred to Nehru, who was by birth a Kashmiri but hardly a native in typical sense. He had pious ideas, which were broader in outlook but unfortunately, peoples with whom he had to deal with on Kashmir, were of virulent merits. Had he relied on the referendum or on hard action against the first attack of Pakistan in 1947, he could have easily escaped the unfortunate internationalization of Kashmir as dispute, impractical deals with Sheikh Abdullah’s in wrong times and most importantly the division of Kashmir that sabotaged the peace forever from these regions.

All political precedents and components behind it have captured well by the author with covert or overt representation through the forceful characters. The family of neighbour Hasan and Rashida, who remained indefiant from projected fundamentalism as consine keepers stands fine with the Kashmiriyat and draws the will of myriad fellow Muslims which scrimped the hope alive. Qadir, is another disillusioned Kashmiri who had allured and disenchanted with the conspiracies from outside of border; in later part of life his quest for reclaiming the peace and socio-cultural distinctness makes high senses for likely changes that is lying ahead. He is gunned downed by still faithful militants but there are chances of many such voices would be keep modulating in the valley, and on large scale.

Iqbal, subverted long back by the militants presents the cases of thousands similar youths, who had to be part of Jihad but without knowing its meaning or targets. They are in remorse for spoiling the traditional fabrics of Kashmir, now their search for native qualities in the rough patches of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir are the grim reminders of abject manipulation of their inner self. The affairs of reluctant fundamentalist turned a reformed man; Iqbal and Aisha, the daughter of a high official from POK exudes the superficiality of class differences. Aisha from the another side of Kashmir, Naseem and Rahul, the son of Mohan Ji and Babli, the childhood love of Bola gives the exact picture of new genre from Kashmir, who are relocated but still not lost completely from their cultural affiliation in valley. The overtures among these Kashmiris and Bola at far distant places of west strengthen the threads of cultural bond which for years were in doom. Such confluences of discreet parts from the single organism hold high promises. The two boxes with books, old articles, gathered with the native warmth depicts the entitlement very well, not surprisingly, if these priceless stuffs appears as most worthy preservance of nativity for exiled Pandits.

The remarkable is the finding of author that state is changing but not the social anatomy of Kashmir. His sentimental quest to supplement the vacuum created by the migration of Pandits is in no manner, a reproaching act. This work of fiction is closer to the real happenings in Kashmir, may be puritan will find it less imaginative but few could deny the streamlining of living expressions. Odds are still in action inside the Kashmir and its own peoples are the most vulnerable target. For Pakistan, Kashmir is an escaping route from its ruin state of affairs, for India, it’s the profound entity of its secular credential and for the local leadership, Kashmir is nothing more than a survival object. Puzzles are still there, so people must show the temptations of realignment with the Kashmiriyat and must continue their reliance on their nation, India. Still Shalimar is not “clown” for most of the Kashmiris and there is hope, curfewed nights will be over for a new dawn!
Atul Kumar Thakur
January 08, 2012, Sunday, New Delhi
Email: summertickets@gmail.com

Indian women’s movement!

Book Review: Non-fiction/The Indian women’s movement by Maitrayee Chaudhuri, Palm Leaf Publications/2011, 219 pp; Rs895 (Hardback)

This is a purposeful book—meticulously researched and lucidly written. It comes as a welcome addition to the burgeoning narrative on women’s movements in India. Tapping historical sources in the context of a focused theme endows this book with authenticity. With rational utilisation of social history in the colonial and post-colonial period, the book underlines the major breakthroughs and adverse occurrences related to the women’s movement in the past and ongoing odds that are choking its overall growth.

The beginning of the book, with elucidating four major social reform movements in prominent provinces—Bengal, Bombay, Madras and Punjab—makes beautiful sense, since knowing the women’s side during the 19th-century Hindu middle class reform is crucial before taking further compelling strides. Chapter three, Reform, Revival and the Women’s Question at the turn of the Century, captures the resistances like Revivalism, Nationalism and Communalism against the repression of colonialism and existing hierarchy besides taking into account the women’s reform in Hinduism and Islam. This paragraph makes complete sense to the wider concern of reform:

The most characteristic sign of the development of capitalism in India was the growth of towns. The dual nature of capitalism in India, where there were both British and Indian enterprises, had left their imprint on the towns, particularly over Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. The town represented the dynamic changes that taking place in Indian society with the composition of bourgeoisie, a working class, a mass of small producer, craftsmen and the administrative staffs. The educated sections were sensitive to both the misery and poverty of the large mass of Indian people and the degradation and humiliation of even those Indians who were not in poverty. They became increasingly conscious of the burden of colonial oppression and the need for a change. (p. 72)

Chapter four, The Rise of Women’s Organisations and the Beginning of Women’s Participation in Politics, 1914–27 links to the institutionalisation and growth of Indian women’s movement, following the epoch-making First World War period. Side by side, the peak of the national movement and its influence over the women’s movement are highlighted very well in this book. The non-cooperation movement led by Gandhi strongly emphasised on the greater inclusion of all sections, including women. This political movement indeed proved a catalyst in the independence movement and later in the shaping of women’s movement. The scale of struggle against British colonialism could not be shot up to such high mark had
not the broader inclusiveness been grounded as the top-tier agenda of Congress and left leaderships. This paragraph delineates it more lucidly under the present contexts:

This participation of women in the active political life of country, and the formation of women’s organisation at all-India level were two landmarks in the evolution of the women’s movement. The ideas which governed women’s organisation and women’s participation in politics however did not make a break with the earlier reform, revival framework. A conflict between new needs and old perceptions was inevitable. Women’s organisations reveal the tension between confining women’s issues to social reform efforts and the compulsions from the wider society to link national liberation to the women’s movement. Participation of women in politics was a new step, yet ideologically the act was appropriated as an extension of traditional roles. (p. 113)

Chapter five, The Expanding Scope of the Women’s Movement and Communalisation of Women’s Issues, aptly revolves around the maturisation phase (1927–37) of women’s movement and its interwoven terms with the anti-colonial movement. This movement drew women’s organisations into its orbit and paved the way for an inevitable radicalisation. That development was very timely and encouraging, though the larger question of communal harmony remained unanswered in spite of few dedicated leadership interventions. Anti spirits were flamboyant and politically, too, they had virulent conceptions that finally deterred the healthy development of social movements and, in the longer course, whose losses
tolled much higher than ever anticipated. The author makes her scintillating point very absorbingly through these lines:

These trends within the women’s movement in a way sum up the entire trajectory of modern India. A professed commitment to western democratic institutions, to liberalism and nationalism was accompanied by a deep rooted desire to argue that these modern nations were actually traditional indigenous ones. In defining the “modern”, therefore a redefinition of the “traditional” was going on. The trend was present amongst both Hindus and Muslims. (p. 144)

The concluding chapter of this book—Radical Blueprints and Communal Politics: The Women’s Question, 1937–47—highlights the complex phase of modern Indian history with astute vigour. These ten years could be counted as most formative for the entire Indian sub-continent. In an organised way, India had to be a nation but, alas, its broad geography, cultural antiquities, social diversities and common past were compromised by the politics of communalism. The author’s note is quite worthwhile to mention here in this respect:

This may seem to contradict the obvious fact that there was a frequent convergence of reform and revival within both nineteenth century Hindu and Islamic reform. Traditions were reinterpreted and the past recast legitimizes women’s reform. The historical situation in the third and fourth decades of the twentieth century had bower altered dramatically.

The two communities were defining themselves increasingly vis-a’-vis the “other”. The sorry state of the “self” was entirely the fault of the other. The occident no doubt still continued to dominate the idiom within which dominant discourses were constructed. But the imminent possibility of independence from colonialism made the question of hegemony of one or the other religious community over the new state more urgent than ever. (p. 181)

Throughout this book, intricacies of the Indian women’s movement are presented in distinct ways that appear candid and appropriate. Maitrayee Chaudhuri’s writing stands without any stodgy academic load or preoccupations—which otherwise has been rampant and overgrown over the years through the damaging complacency among Indian higher academic circles. Her remarkable work is a solace in this regard. Unfortunately, the burden of confused legacy is so enormous that its curtailment would need an attitude shift among the academic authors. Barring a few, most undeserving and horribly conceited writers have earned bad impressions and remarks for academic writing. At least now, a trend must be set
for original and insightful writings that can add some values to the broad world of knowledge. Palm Leaf
Publications as a start-up deserve all accolades for commissioning such a relevant book on a very crucial theme—here, too, the act is path-breaking to an extent.

The Indian women’s movement has been shaped and grown through the sociopolitical changes starting back in the late 19th century to the present date, but it remains a major loophole that economic aspects were never given the proper consideration even after the high time of capitalist movement in Indian economy 1991 onward. Here, the women’s movement should be properly aligned with the changing times, where challenges are multidimensional and complex. Interface among major academic disciplines with rational approaches are the need of hour, though in the present scenario the chances of which are minimal, considering the prevailing static appetite on Research and Development in the stream of humanities. Even more pathetically, there is no longer a mass women’s movement in India or abroad.

There are many organisations working for women’s equality in the public and private arena. But, where there were once women’s organisations with large participatory memberships, there are now bureaucratic structures run by the closed groups. Feminist theory, once provocative and freewheeling, has lost concern with the conditions of women’s lives and has become pretentious and tired. This raises two questions—why is there so little discussion of the near disappearance of a movement that not so long ago was strong enough to bring about major changes in the social and cultural landscape?; what are the causes of
the movement’s decline?

The causes of the decline of these movements are more complicated than can be dealt with by circling the wagons. Neo-theocratic attacks have played a role in damaging some feminist projects, such as abortion rights, but the overall decline of the women’s movement has much more to do with a loss of a sense of urgency to cope with such maliciously inserted mandates.

Over the past few decades, progress has been felt for Indian women’s movements, but the overall actual state of affairs is far from desirable results. Mostly, women’s organisations are dominated by the power-groomed elites, and normally keep it away from bottom-level complications, which the vast majority in
India faces in day-to-day life. This book has specialties in this regard—historical interpretation of women’s movements along with aiming the further constructive course makes the work worthwhile for reading and getting noticed as the reference for introducing new policy measures. Maitrayee Chaudhuri has followed the events very cautiously and equally delineated them with care and precision that gives a valuable edge in favour of her deserving book. This book is worthy for readers and equally for bright book stakes…such things happen rarely in academic writing!
Atul Kumar Thakur
November 5, 2011, Saturday, New Delhi
Email: summertickets@gmail.com
(Published in Social Change-A journal of Council for Social Development and Sage Publications, June 2012)

Shades of Globalisation!

Book Review: Non-fiction/Understanding Globalisation and Emerging India by Anand Kumar, Palm Leaf Publications/2011, 276 pp; Rs995 {Hardback}
There are countless views on global dissemination of ideas which aims for uniformisation of trade, services etc. The much celebrated term “Globalisation” is still acquiring attention and it’s not without some valid reasons. Initial and foremost, the South Asian region as big market is catching the attention of strong global capital that’s altering many home grown wisdom in the region practiced through the ages. India, with its market friendly democracy and a sizable consuming population is the prime mover of consumerist aspirations. A close look on these changes easily enables to see the huge mismatch that’s being consolidated in the name of constructive “market reform”. Both China and India has its own lapses in their original framework while dealing with the moves of global trade integration. So on policy front, arrival and mushrooming of modern globalisation is still not less than enigma.

This book is spread into three parts. First part deals with the general aspects of globalisation though ends up without adding anything substantial in the contemporary discourse over pros and cons of free trade/uniform lifestyle. Second part that co-incidentally also justifies the title of book revolves around India’s involvement with globalisation and its implications. Prof. Anand Kumar has presented his views in academic fashion and slipped on many occasions to cover this very important issue with much needed distinctness. Third part is little bit promising with heavily inserting “Gandhism” in the greedy globalisation debate; unfortunately reprisal of fundamentals from Gandhism hardly gives readers the joy anticipated with this book. Ironical to see, an academic from institution of repute chasing hyped and already covered observations like the real gains. This rejects the predominant beliefs that were in favour of academic intellectuals. Every year, a large number of serious works being done on various subjects and remarkably most of the authors have not even had the remote affiliation with the universities. This notion will be soon agreeable, if the academic masters will not start writing books for people…absolutely, dark corner of book stakes only should be the secondary target!

On the similar theme, there is need for indepth works with analyzing India’s own position vis-à-vis free trade and its viability under the basic mainline of democratic polity. As a nation, India has moved up in last six decades albeit it would be rash observation if believe that India’s “tryst with destiny” can be halted now. Idea of India must be in rock solid state, by which this nation will catch its making sound.

In last two decades, Indian economy has scaled up high through its consistent alignment with the market led reform. It’s also true that in some areas, regulation have worked well-financial sector is one of the case but not completely. There is no reason, why India should not follow its own model of regulated reform in the time ahead, the stress on regulated economic model in crisis ridden Europe further strengthening India’s indigenous model of economic policy.

Globalisation leads to multifaceted changes in economy/society/culture/politics etc, so reckoning its nuances is very essential for the concerned participants and enthusiasts. India as rising power is in need to understand the globalisation in proper way-China has done significantly in this regard, though without openness. The debate on globalisation should be in balanced pace, it’s not surpassable in any manner and lackluster academic works will make no sense in further cases!
Atul Kumar Thakur
November 5, 2011, Saturday, New Delhi
Email: summertickets@gmail.com